GRAND FORKS - Valley Bus

Grand Forks Public Schools

We are happy to provide transportation services for Grand Forks Public Schools students. Please read below for information about Grand Forks Public Schools bus service.

Route Info

Follow the link below to view the maps for general education bus routes.

BUS ROUTES

School Bus Conduct

The Board shall require students to conduct themselves on the bus in a manner consistent with established standards for classroom behavior. The bus driver will document incidents of student misconduct. The principal will inform the parents immediately of the misconduct and request their cooperation in correcting the student’s behavior. Students who become a serious disciplinary problem on the school bus may have their riding privilege suspended indefinitely by the building principal. In such cases, the parents of the student involved become responsible for that student’s transportation to and from school.
Students are expected to walk a reasonable distance to meet the bus.
Previous to loading, students shall:

Be on time at the designated school bus stops in order to keep the bus on schedule. If possible, the students should let the driver know if they are not to be on the bus the following day(s).
Respect all property, public or private. Stay off the road at all times while waiting for the bus. Bus riders shall conduct themselves in a safe and responsible manner while waiting.

Conduct expectations:

The bus driver is in complete charge of student riders. The driver has the same authority as a teacher and will report rule violations to the principal.
Bus riders shall abide by the rules or be deprived of the privilege to ride the bus. Students will be cited for the following behavior:

Failure to remain seated
Smoking on the bus
Hanging out the windows
Refusing to obey driver
Lighting matches
Spitting/Littering -Throwing objects out of bus
Fighting -Sexual Harassment
Profanity -Throwing objects on bus -Vandalism

Bus riders shall not litter the bus with food or other debris. Students should help to keep the bus clean. Food and drink are not permitted on the bus.
Bus riders shall not tamper with the bus or any of its equipment. Damage to the seats, etc., shall be paid by the offender.

ALL ACTS OF VANDALISM WILL RESULT IN AN AUTOMATIC SUSPENSION OF BUS RIDING PRIVILEGES FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR

No weapons, dangerous objects (i.e. laser pointers), alcohol, tobacco or drugs are allowed on the bus.

Leaving the bus:

Bus riders shall exit in a prompt and orderly manner.
Cross the road, when necessary, in front of the bus where the driver can see you and you can see the driver, but only after looking to be sure that no traffic is approaching from either direction.

Students being transported are under the authority of the bus driver.

Special Education Transportation

The Grand Forks Special Education Unit strives for a safe and efficient transportation system for special education students. The Grand Forks Public School District contracts with Valley Bus of Grand Forks for this service.

Eligibility

Transportation is provided to special education students based on their disability and the least restrictive environment. Transportation is also provided for special education students whose IEP team has determined that they need to attend a public school outside of their neighborhood attendance area due to programming options. Parents will be responsible for transportation if a parent elects to send their child to a non-neighborhood public school, which is not an IEP team decision.

Personnel

Valley Bus of Grand Forks is responsible for employing the bus drivers and bus paras. Valley Bus and the Grand Forks Special Education Unit provide training to drivers and bus paras. Background checks are completed by both Valley Bus of Grand Forks and the Grand Forks Public School District. All drivers must meet Department of Transportation standards.

Driver Responsibilities

The driver’s primary function is to drive the bus safely. The driver is responsible for opening and closing the bus doors and watching for student safety. The driver will not honk or wait longer than 1 minute before proceeding on the route.

Bus Para Responsibilities

Bus paras will be present on all special education routes and shuttles. Bus paras will assist students on and off the bus. Bus paras will also assist with the general supervision of students and individual behavior management and health care programs. Bus paras will not knock on the resident's door or call ahead.

Parent Responsibilities

Have your child ready and watch for the bus 5-10 minutes before you expect it to arrive. Many factors outside the driver’s control cause the pick-up or drop-off time to vary on any particular day (# of riders, weather, road construction, trains, etc.).
Notify the bus company (701-772-0601, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) to cancel service if your child will not be riding the bus on a particular day because of illness, an appointment, etc. If your child does not ride for 2 days consecutively without proper notification to Valley Bus or the Grand Forks Special Education office, transportation will cease until the special education office is contacted by the parent.
Have supervision at the return address. Caregivers will be expected to meet the student at the bus door unless otherwise approved on the Emergency Contact Form

If the bus driver or bus para determines that a student will be unsupervised, the bus will move on and finish dropping off the remaining students, and parents will be contacted. The student will be returned to their school if a parent cannot be reached. Parents will be responsible for picking up their child at that address. Contact Allison Hillebrand at 701-746-2200 ext 7235 if your contact information changes.

Notify your child’s teacher and the transportation company if your child will be out of school for an extended period of time, such as hospitalization, long-term illness, family trip, etc.
Share these policies and procedures with your child’s daycare provider. Bus paras are not responsible for accompanying students into or out of daycare facilities.
Your child’s school photo will be used for student identification purposes by Valley Bus unless you notify Allison Hillebrand at 701-746-2200 ext 7235 that you do not want your child’s photo accessed.
No food or drink is allowed on the bus for safety reasons.

Route Changes

Pick-up and drop-off addresses will be the student’s home address unless other arrangements have been communicated to Allison Hillebrand, District Transportation Coordinator, at 701-746-2200 ext 7235.
All changes in pick-up and drop-off locations will require three full days' notice which must be communicated through the Grand Forks Special Education office at 701-746-2200 ext 7235 before any change will be implemented. Valley Bus of Grand Forks will not make changes until they receive authorization from the Special Education office.
It is expected that any address change is a permanent change. Day-to-day or week-to-week changes will not be made. Changes in routes affect all students on that route. Parents will be notified in advance of any major route changes.

Early/Late Bus

A bus will not run its route early. If a bus is running significantly late, parents will be notified if possible. A bus will always complete its route. Parents do not need to transport their children on these days.

Storm Day Policy

Listen to local media outlets for school cancellations or late starts. Students will be returned if school is canceled while in session. There will be no morning Early Childhood Special Education programs if there is a late start to the school day.

Equipment and Adaptations

All buses transporting students shall be identified, numbered, and equipped with two-way radios, first aid kits, and fire extinguishers. Additional equipment or adaptations are based on individual needs. Adaptations that are needed will be delineated in the student’s IEP. Special education buses are equipped with seatbelts.

Who to call

Questions relating to a late bus, pick-up time, or student not riding on a particular day may be communicated directly to Valley Bus at 701-772-0601.
Address changes and all other transportation questions or concerns should be directed to Allison Hillebrand, Transportation Coordinator, 701-746-2200 ext 7235.

Have questions?

View our Frequently Asked Questions or reach out to us via phone or email.